NRTC English: ‘Invincible’ is different from ‘invisible’ and other tricky pairs

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

English is full of words that sound similar but have completely different meanings. One common mix-up is between “invincible” and “invisible.”

Imagine a superhero who can’t be defeated – that’s someone or something invincible. It’s all about being unbeatable or indestructible.

Example: The superhero felt invincible with his incredible powers.

Now, think about something that can’t be seen – that’s invisible. It’s about things that are not visible to the naked eye.

Example: The magician made the rabbit invisible with a magic trick.

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Other tricky pairs like invincible and invisible

Immigrate and Emigrate

Immigrate:

When people move into a new country, they immigrate. “In” is for coming in.

Example: They decided to immigrate to a different country for a better life.

Emigrate: On the flip side, when people leave their current country to go somewhere else, they emigrate. “Em” is for exiting.

Example: Many Irish families emigrated during the potato famine.

Affect and Effect

Affect: This is a verb and is all about making an impact or influencing something.

Example: The weather can affect our mood.

Effect: On the other hand, effect is usually a noun, representing the result or outcome of an action.

Example: The new law had a positive effect on the community.

Effect as a verb means cause (something) to happen; bring about, as in the prime minister effected many policy changes.

Principal and Principle

Principal: Think of the person who runs a school – that’s the principal.

Example: The principal announced the upcoming school event.

Principle: This refers to a fundamental belief or rule.

Example: She believes in honesty as a guiding principle.

Lastly, compliment and complement (praising or completing?) also fall under these tricky pairs like invincible and invisible.

Understanding these differences can save you from some common mix-ups.

So, whether you’re talking about unbeatable superheroes, invisible magic tricks, or immigration plans, knowing the distinctions makes your communication crystal clear.